


Aftereffects

by Lassarina



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-14
Updated: 2007-10-14
Packaged: 2017-10-30 05:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/328156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lassarina/pseuds/Lassarina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aeris takes care of Zack after a mako treatment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftereffects

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a springkink prompt originally and crossposted to my mako_reactor claim, both on LJ.

He arrives for their date five minutes late, which is unusual; for all his easygoing nature, Zack is always punctual. He says it's a habit from SOLDIER, where there are dire consequences to being late for meetings and training. He hurries into the restaurant, slightly flushed and breathing hard, and she stands quickly to greet him.

"Hey, babe." He kisses her softly, and his skin feels hot against hers. "Sorry I'm late—something came up and I had to double-time it over here." He smiles and squeezes her hand, and they sit down together and order.

Halfway through their meal, she realizes that his flush hasn't faded, but is getting worse. There's a thin sheen of sweat on his skin. His hands are clenched in his lap, and he's barely touched his food.

"Zack? Are you all right?"

"Huh?" It takes him a moment to locate and focus on her face. "Yeah. I'm fine." They haven't been drinking, but his speech is slightly slurred.

"You look like you're not feeling well," she says.

"They changed the treatment schedule," he says. "It was supposed to be tomorrow, but I guess they had to switch us with another unit. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She reaches across the table to squeeze his hand, but it takes him two tries to close his fingers around hers. His movements are not as smooth as she is accustomed to them being.

They finish their meal slowly, and though he makes it out of the restaurant under his own power, he's swaying slightly and his steps are none too even. As soon as they are outside, Aeris presses close against his side, her arm coming around his waist to support him. She is no SOLDIER, but she is strong enough to help him with this.

It is slow going back to her house. Zack stumbles every three or four steps, and she is hard-pressed to keep him on his feet. Her mother is out tonight, and Aeris is grateful as she helps him up the stairs and into her room. He collapses onto her bed, and she helps him out of his boots and jacket, then exchanges her own dress and heels for something more comfortable.

"I'm going to go downstairs and get you some water, and I'll be right back," she says. She hates how long it takes for his eyes to focus on her before he nods.

She runs down the stairs and gets a glass of water and a cloth soaked in cool water, and goes back upstairs to him. His eyes are half-closed, and he doesn't turn his head to her when she sits on the bed next to him.

"I'll be all right," he mumbles. She can barely identify the words. "Just need a few minutes."

It is more than a few minutes that she sits there, wiping sweat from his face and murmuring soothing nothings to him. By her clock, it takes almost forty-five minutes. She would have gone to find a doctor, but no one in the slums would know what to do for a SOLDIER after a Mako treatment, and she can't get him all the way back to his barracks alone.

Finally he opens his eyes and looks directly at her, his hand coming up to brush her cheek gently. "Hey," he says.

"Hey, yourself." She smiles and leans down to kiss his cheek.

"How long?" he asks.

"About forty-five minutes since we got here. Maybe an hour before that."

He grimaces, and pulls himself up to a sitting position. Five minutes ago he was shaking and sweating; now he's completely alert and coordinated. "Usually I can just grit my teeth and get through it. I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry." She kisses him again, on the lips this time.

"Any chance I can use your shower?" he asks her, then gives a comically exaggerated leer. "You can join me, if you want."

"Are you sure you're feeling up to that?" She tries for a serious tone, but it comes out playful.

"Oh, definitely." He tugs on the tie she used to pull her hair back, and grins at her. She laughs and stands up, leading the way to the bathroom.

Later, when they are curled together in her bed, she hugs him tightly. "I don't like to see them hurting you that way," she says very softly.

He smoothes her hair and hugs her back. "Don't regret this life I chose for me," he says. "I don't."

"I just worry about you," she says.

"You don't have to. You know I'll be here."

"I know," she says softly, and curls closer.


End file.
